IA Presidential Ballot Access
Iowa Presidential Ballot Access Requirements
State-level general-election presidential ballot access requirements for Iowa, including party nomination, petition access, and write-in rules where available in the NASS summary.
Party Nomination
Political Party Nomination
A presidential candidate nominated by a political party may be placed on the general election ballot. Political parties must certify to the secretary of state no later than the 81st day before the election the names of the candidate for president and vice-president and the names of the presidential electors. If the national nominating convention of a political party adjourns later than 89 days before the general election the names of the candidates for president and vice-president must be certified within 5 days after adjournment. As an alternative to certification by the state central committee of the political party, the certificate of nomination issued by the political party’s national nominating convention may be used to certify the name of the party’s candidates for president and vice-president. A political party is a party whose candidate for president at the last presidential election, or candidate for governor at the last gubernatorial election, received at least 2% of the total vote cast for all candidate for that office at that election. A political organization that is not a political party may hold a convention or caucus to nominate a presidential candidate if a minimum of 500 eligible electors attends, including at least one from each of 25 counties. The organization must certify to the secretary of state no later than the 73rd day before the general election the name of the candidates for president and vice-president, the names of the presidential electors, and the names of the delegates in attendance at the convention or caucus.
Petition Access
Petition / Independent Candidate Access
An independent presidential candidate, or a presidential candidate of a political organization that does not hold a nominating caucus or convention, may obtain ballot access for the general election by filing with the secretary of state no later than the 73rd day before the general election an affidavit of candidacy and a petition signed by at least 3500 eligible electors, including at least 100 residing in each of 19 counties of the state. The filing must include the names of the presidential electors.
Write-In
Write-In Rules
A voter may write-in the name of a candidate.
Legal Citations
Source Citations
- Iowa Code §§ 44.1, 44.2, 43.2, 44.4, 44.17, 45.1,45.4, 49.99, 54.5
Source and Use
How to Read This Ballot Access Data
This reference is generated from NASS Summary: State Laws Regarding Presidential Ballot Access for the General Election.
- Primary source
- NASS ballot access summary PDF
- Coverage
- General-election presidential ballot access requirements by state, as summarized by NASS.
- Use note
- Informational reference only; verify current law with the state election office, current statutes, and legal counsel.
- These entries summarize general-election presidential ballot access rules for political party nominees, petition candidates, fee access where listed, and write-in candidacies.
- Ballot access law can change through statutes, court decisions, and state election guidance. Verify requirements with the state election office before relying on them.
- This reference does not state whether any candidate has qualified for a state ballot.
- This page is informational and is not legal advice or a filing procedure guide.